Dartmouth's athletics program produced several seniors who are entering the world of professional sports after they get their diploma on Sunday. These '05s join other alumni before them who have demonstrated the strength of College athletics.
Andrew Goldstein '05 and Ben Grinnell '05, members of the Dartmouth Lacrosse team which finished 8-4, were both drafted by the Boston Cannons in the third and fifth rounds of the 2005 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft, respectively.
Both will join teammate Pat Keeley '05 for the U.S. Lacrosse team tr youts in June.
Goldstein received two All- America honorable mentions and was named second team All-Ivy League.
As goalie, he stopped 120 shots and had an 8.29 goals against average.
He joins Tom Daniels '82, who was recently traded to the Cannons.
Grinnell, who played midfield and captained the team this year, is not certain whether he will take the Cannons' offer or not.
"It's a great honor to be drafted," Grinnell said, but he explained that the job might conflict with his prior plans to tour America and make a photo journal.
"It's also been such a great experience playing with my teammates here, I'm not sure if I want to make a career of it."
Though the future of the National Hockey League is uncertain, Lee Stempniak was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round of the NHL draft.
Stempniak, who plays right wing, recalled playing with Hugh Jessiman '06, and noted the possibility of scouts in the audience.
Jessiman was a first round draft pick for the New York Rangers.
"I had no expectations going into the draft, and that summer, I ended up getting drafted." Stempniak said. "The reality of it is I'll probably just be playing for one of their affiliate teams, so my goal is to try to make their top affiliate next year, play there, and hopefully this lockout will be resolved and I'll be able to work my way up to the NHL."
Stempniak's plan is similar to that of Jeff Speights, who is hoping to play professional baseball after leaving Dartmouth.
Speights, a first baseman, says that his plans are not solid, but as a San Diego native, he hopes to play for California's new, independent Golden Baseball League and from there work his way into the minor and major leagues.
"I'd like to get drafted but I don't really know if that's a possibility," Speights said.
"It's my life's pursuit. It's what I've wanted to do since I was a kid and I feel like now is the time to take the charge to do what I've always wanted to since I was a kid and I figure if it doesn't work out I've always got an Ivy League degree to fall back on.
"I don't want to sit here ten years from now and say, 'Damn, I should have given it a shot,'" he said.
